Obituaries for Sept. 17, 2013

Jessica Miller, 35, died Friday, Sept. 13, 2013. Memorial services are Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. at Water Life Church, at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center. Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

David Pitts

David Lee Pitts, 67, of Meadowood Street, Hudson, formerly of Far Rockaway, Queens, N.Y., died Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013, at Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care – Hudson. He was born June 27, 1946, in New York to the late John Henry and Lucille Sanders Pitts. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Gloria Calloway and Alicia Christian.

Mr. Pitts was a maintenance director for Oceanside Nursing Home and attended St. Paul AME Church. He was a United States Air Force Veteran serving in Vietnam.

Survivors include lifetime domestic partner Elizabeth Fuentes of the home; three sons, Derrick Pitts and wife Kathy, Dennis Pitts and David Pitts Jr., all of Atlanta, Ga.; one daughter, Dinna Marie Pitts of Atlanta, Ga.; two brothers, John Pitts Jr. and wife Miriam of Far Rockaway, N.Y., and Shahid Pitts and wife Jamilla of Staten Island, N.Y.; stepchildren, Chester Fuentes, Katrina Fuentes and Betsy Hamilton and husband Everton, all of Rockaway Beach, N.Y.; two sisters, Frankie Debethum of Pennsylvania, and Betty Pettiford and husband Sonny of Fayetteville; and several grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul AME Church conducted by the Rev. Dr. Byron Greyson. Interment will be at 1 at Salisbury VA Cemetery with full military honors.

The family will receive friends from 9 to 10 a.m. prior to the service at the church.

Serving as pallbearers will be family and friends.

Online condolences may be left at www.greer-mcelveenfuneralhome.com. Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Doris Walker

Doris Virginia Walker, 79, of Blowing Rock died Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, at Blowing Rock Extended Care Facility. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory.

Shirley Rice

Shirley Hall Rice, 72, passed away on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, at Caldwell Hospice & Palliative Care. She was born in Caldwell County on May 18, 1941, to the late Thomas Henry Hall and Grace Prestwood Hall.

Mrs. Rice was a member at Gloryland Baptist Church in Hildebran, where she played the piano. She had been playing the piano in churches since she was 12 years old.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husbands, the Rev. Harold Hayes Greene and Ronald Clifton Rice; sisters, Ruby Cardwell and Annie Hall; and brothers, Fred Hall and Arvil Hall.

A celebration of Mrs. Rice’s life will be held at East Hudson Baptist Church on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Lex Wright, the Rev. Tony Childers, the Rev. Grady Burnette and Pastor Eric Hagan officiating. Interment will immediately follow the service in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends in the Chapel of Evans Funeral Service on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, from 6 until 8 p.m.

Online condolences can be sent to the Rice family at www.evansfuneralservice.com.

Evans Funeral Service & Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Rice family.

Diana Story

Diana Lynn Story, 51, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013, at her residence. Diana was born in Clinton, Ala., on July 29, 1962, to James Donald Jones of Alabama and Sandra Hall Seetaram of Lenoir. She was married to Thomas Story of the home for over 19 years.

Diana was preceded in death by her brother, Siewraj Seetaram Jr.

In addition to her husband and parents she is survived by her sisters, Soomaria Seetaram Crawford of Bessemer, Ala., and Sonya Seetaram of Lenoir.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel of Evans Funeral Service on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, at 3 p.m.

The family will receive friends from 2 until 3 prior to the service.

Online condolences may be sent to the Story Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com

Evans Funeral Service & Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Story Family.

Ronald Griffin

Ronald Mark Griffin, 47, of Morganton died Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, 7-9 p.m. at Pendry’s Lenoir Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, OH 44720.